One Piece: The Archangel's Guide

Chapter 24: The Canaan Affair is Concluded

An unknown island in the East Blue.

Several days had passed since the encounter with the pirate ship. Following a sea chart, the group had found an island suitable for the Canaan survivors and brought them there. The island was not occupied by any kingdom, nor were there any other people on it. There were dozens of smaller islands nearby, and the people of this sea region lived in villages scattered across them.

The arrival of the Canaan survivors was inconspicuous. The origins of the various villages were similar; many were also founded by those who had suffered shipwrecks, drifted to an island, and settled there to live and multiply.

Yelena named this island "New Canaan." The two hundred or so remaining people of Canaan would live and thrive here.

With the help of Louis's ability and the Red Hair crew, the Canaan survivors quickly cleared the land and built homes to shelter them from the wind and rain. Low stone hills were broken down, and a river channel was dug from a lake deep within the island to facilitate drinking, farming, and washing for the people. In just a few short days, all the necessary conditions for survival were met.

Louis and Yelena stood side-by-side in front of the newly built village. Opposite them, the people of Canaan had gathered on their own accord.

During the voyage, they had already learned that Yelena would be embarking on a new journey with Louis. They had no complaints about this; on the contrary, they accepted it with grace. They knew that Yelena's departure with Louis would be a very long journey. Therefore, with the parting imminent, the people gathered to see off their kingdom's last monarch.

Facing pairs of eyes filled with gratitude, guilt, and a sense of indebtedness, the usually fearless Yelena subconsciously bit her lip. She lowered her head, not daring to meet their earnest gazes.

For a moment, everyone was silent. Only the gentle sound of the wind rustling through the green grass could be heard.

Finally, the oldest man in the crowd slowly stepped forward. He looked at Louis, who was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Yelena, and said sincerely, "Lord Louis, Her Majesty Yelena has a simple character and does not know much about the outside world. I hope that in the days to come, you will be patient and understanding with her."

Louis nodded gently and replied with sincere, firm words, "Rest assured. Yelena and I will be partners who can trust each other with our backs."

"The people of Canaan are eternally grateful!" The old man bowed deeply in thanks, and behind him, all the people did the same.

Seeing this, Louis spread his Observation Haki, searching the ground beneath his feet for faint signs of life. Then, he bent down and picked up several dry, flat seeds from the grass.

The next moment, Louis's body once again shone with a golden light, wisps of holy light swirling around him. Like a river of stars, they coiled in his palm and flowed directly into the seeds, awakening their dormant life force.

After doing this, Louis raised his hand and scattered the seeds around. Then, the life force within the seeds erupted, catalyzing the rapid growth of fruit saplings. In an instant, the saplings bypassed their long growth cycle, becoming a fruit forest that surrounded the village.

On the lush fruit trees, which averaged over twenty meters tall, human faces appeared and then faded away in the next moment. Giant, python-like vines twitched and coiled, retracting their killing intent.

"If anyone comes to attack your village, hide in the forest." Louis's eyes swept over Yelena, then the weathered faces of her people. "They will take Yelena's place, staying here to protect you."

This was the first time Louis had created a long-term living construct with his ability. The purpose was to give this nearly extinct people a safe place to live. They could pull up their roots and briefly transform them into legs to move, but under Louis's command, they would not leave this island. This was to prevent the descendants of Canaan from developing ideas similar to the Jacobites and relying on them to conquer the surrounding islands.

After doing what he could, Louis patted Yelena's shoulder and said, "Say something. Don't keep it bottled up, only to regret it later."

With that, Louis turned and left, leaving the green field to Yelena and her people.

It wasn't until Louis had flapped his wings and landed on the Red Hair Pirates' ship that Yelena slowly raised her head, staring blankly at her subjects.

After another moment, Yelena spoke, her expression complex. "From now on, I will no longer be the monarch who shelters Canaan..."

Hearing her words, although they had prepared themselves mentally, the people couldn't help but tremble, and glistening tears welled up in their eyes.

"From now on, you will have to rely on your own strength to get food for yourselves..." Yelena's vision blurred, but her face was calm as she tried her best to keep her tone even.

As her words fell, sobs began to ripple through the crowd. They knew that the monarch who had protected their dignity and their lives with her own was about to leave them. From now on, they would have to fend for themselves. But they had no reason to dissuade or object. They could never repay the royal family's kindness, which only grew deeper with time. The royal family could have walked away, but they didn't; they chose the most difficult path.

"There is plenty of water and food here. You won't need to trade your lives for filthy water."

"You can also bathe every day. Newborns will no longer die of illness..."

After a long time...

Yelena's gaze swept over the familiar faces. She opened her mouth, but the words she had been brewing in her heart came out as a single sentence:

"Everyone... in the days that I'm gone, you must live on well. I hope you don't become the kind of people we hate..."

"..."

Hearing this, the people wiped the tears and snot from their faces with their newly changed, clean clothes and nodded firmly. Seeing this, Yelena's heart ached even more.

"We will meet again one day." In the end, Yelena didn't dare to look at them for another second. She turned and walked away.

Yelena walked forward step-by-step, her figure looking somewhat wretched, leaving deep footprints in the verdant world.

On the deck of the Red Force, the entire Red Hair crew watched this scene, a thousand thoughts running through their minds. It wasn't until Yelena had boarded the deck that the crew members dispersed to their respective posts, ready to set sail again at any moment.

But after a long time, Shanks still hadn't given the order to depart. He leaned against the railing, saying nothing. It wasn't until the long, drawn-out sound of a horn echoed that a brilliant smile appeared on his face.

"With bonds more precious than treasure, a warrior embarking on a great expedition will not fall and become a greedy dragon..."

A hint of memory flashed in Shanks's eyes as he gave the order to his crew to set sail.

"..."

On the deck, Yelena's body trembled at the sound. She slowly turned her head to look at the village beneath the forest.

Beneath the towering, ancient trees, a tattered banner fluttered in the wind. Her loyal subjects, for their departing monarch, had arranged themselves in an ancient formation and sounded the horn of expedition.

Under the sail, which billowed in the wind, Yelena could no longer maintain her composure. The dam of her tears had finally burst.